A novel micro/nanopatterning technique for studies of stem cell differentiation

While a study of stem cells has been a frontier in nature science, multiple factors to regulate differentiation of stem cells are decoupled with each other and thus very hard to be determined unambiguously. Ding’s group developed a technique to fabricate RGD micro/nanopattern on nonfouling poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) background and achieved controlling of cell adhesion at both single cell level and single molecular level. Based on this technique, the effect of RGD nanospacing on stem cell differentiation was examined at a controlled area level for the first time. The results confirm that RGD nanospacing is a regulator of stem cell differentiation. This insight is helpful for guiding designing of new biomaterials for regenerative medicine and also provided a materials technique platform for cell biology research.

This interdisciplinary research was completed due to the efforts of several classes of graduate students, and eventually finished and highlighted by Ms. Xuan WANG.

Xuan Wang, Shiyu Li, Ce Yan, Peng Liu, Jiandong Ding*, Fabrication of RGD

micro/nanopattern and corresponding study of stem cell differentiation, Nano Lett., 15(3): 1457-1467 (2015)

Article links：http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl5049862